Safer Places approved by council

PYRENEES Shire Council has conducted a review of its Neighbourhood Safer Places and has confirmed a number of locations across the Shire.

Under the Country Fire Authority Act, councils must conduct a review of each designated Neighbourhood Safer Place to determine if it is still suitable.

In conducting the annual review, council asked the CFA to assess each Neighbourhood Safer Place in accordance with the CFA assessment guidelines.

Neighbourhood Safer Places provide a place of last resort in a bushfire emergency.

Under the guidelines, a Neighbourhood Safer Place is a space that:

1. is a place of last resort for individuals to access and shelter in during a fire event affecting their neighbourhood – without the need to take a high risk journey beyond their neighbourhood;
2. eliminates direct exposure to flames from a fire front and management of radiant heat to survivable levels; and
3. should only be accessed when personal bushfire survival plans (for individual properties) cannot be implemented or have failed.

Council stresses a Neighbourhood Safer Place does not guarantee the survival of those who assemble there.

Before going into caretaker mode, councillors voted to accept a recommendation for nine Neighbourhood Safer Places across the Shire;

1. Lexton – Toll Bar Park
2. Waubra – Recreation Reserve
3. Beaufort – Wotherspoon Park
4. Snake Valley – St Brigid’s Church Reserve
5. Avoca – Medium Strip, High Street (between Russell & Cambridge Streets)
6. Moonambel – Recreation Reserve
7. Natte Yallock – Recreation Reserve
8. Redbank – Recreation Reserve
9. Landsborough – Recreation Reserve
10. Barkly – Barkly Public Hall

All locations were assessed by the CFA and deemed to be compliant with the CFA Assessment Guidelines.

Council has an annual budget for the maintenance of the designated Neighbourhood Safer Places.